New EU Tech Chiefs Face Burning Questions, as Digital Innovation Gets Boost From CCIA Europe – CCIA

Brussels, BELGIUM – As the European Parliament ramps up preparations for the hearings of candidate European Commissioners in early November, the digital sector has a set of burning questions for Europe’s next tech chiefs to answer. 

At this crucial juncture, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe) is launching two publications designed to guide and support the next Commission and new Members of the European Parliament in shaping Europe’s digital future. 

The Digital Innovation Blueprint and Guide to Effective EU Tech Regulation offer concrete recommendations and insights to lawmakers. They come at a pivotal moment, as the EU struggles with regulatory complexity and declining competitiveness – especially in digital. 

At the core of the Blueprint are important questions that candidate Commissioners must be able to answer in order to drive digital innovation and boost EU competitiveness.

Henna Virkkunen, candidate Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, faces critical questions as overlapping and inconsistent rules consistently hinder digital progress. The landmark Draghi Report also singles out EU over-regulation as one of the main culprits. 

Hence, tech firms have a pressing question: “Does Virkkunen plan to prioritise proper implementation of existing EU tech rules, and fix what we already have, or will she continue the recent trend of rushing to create even more rules?” 

Stéphane Séjourné, set to oversee the EU Internal Market, will have to step up the fight against the undermining of the Single Market. We ask: “What do businesses and consumers actually get in return for years of tech regulation? A poorly enforced Single Market with national governments introducing digital barriers and deviating from EU digital rules?” 

With over 70 new tech rules adopted since 2019, the Guide to Effective EU Tech Regulation makes clear that Europe urgently needs to reflect on lessons learned, ensure more scrutiny and coordination between institutions, and improve (workable) implementation. Indeed, the new Guide offers practical recommendations to improve the overall EU legislative process. 

Last night, EU lawmakers got an exclusive preview of both publications at CCIA Europe’s 15th anniversary celebrations in Brussels. Now they are available for everyone to discover.

The following can be attributed to Senior Vice President and Head of CCIA Europe, Daniel Friedlaender:

“Europe’s digital agenda needs a fresh start. As Commission and Parliament prepare for a new term, it’s time to focus on fostering tech innovation rather than adding regulatory hurdles.”

“Unlocking Europe’s digital potential is not just a challenge for policymakers, it’s an opportunity to deliver benefits for all Europeans. CCIA Europe looks forward to working with the next Commission and new MEPs to ensure that future EU tech regulation is more effective, smarter, and innovation-friendly.”

Notes for editors

Interested in hearing more questions that CCIA Europe has for the various  Commissioner-designates? Contact Kasper Peters at kpeters@ccianet.org

The Blueprint identifies three key priorities the 2024-2029 Commission needs to focus on:

1. Deliver a true Digital Single Market and a strong pro-innovation agenda
2. Pledge to make EU laws more effective and consistent ‘by design’
3. Strengthen relations with global allies to boost growth and competitiveness

CCIA Europe’s new Guide, which seeks to launch a broader discussion on how EU policy making can be improved at each stage of the legislative process, looks at:

1. How to carefully prepare new EU tech rules 
2. How to drastically improve legislative scrutiny
3. How to make implementation and enforcement matter